Great books about footy

[Dry Rot]

As Ernie Sigley and Twodogs can attest, I am a god fearing, law abiding paragon of virtue but I have some very dubious St Kilda supporting friends who have led me astray NB when the Saints play in Sydney.

But i must say something about them - they lent me a book by a Melbourne comedian and Saints fan (someone Hardy?) who wrote about his memories following the Saints and watching their games at suburban grounds.

It was bloody hilarious - anyone know the title?

And what are your favourite books about footy?

[The Coon Dog]

Re: Great books about footy

That would be Matthew Hardy, who used to be on SEN with Anthony Hudson & Dermot Brereton.

Easily the best footy book I read was about the fightback in 1989. It's written by Alan Dalton & Kerrie Gordon & if your local library has a copy head down there & borrow it. It's called Too Tough To Die.

[Dry Rot]

Re: Great books about footy

That would be Matthew Hardy, who used to be on SEN with Anthony Hudson & Dermot Brereton.

Thanks. Do you know the title of the book?

[The Coon Dog]

Re: Great books about footy

Thanks. Do you know the title of the book?

From memory Saturday Afternoon Fever also a new one I'm So Australian.

[Dry Rot]

Re: Great books about footy

From memory Saturday Afternoon Fever also a new one I'm So Australian.

Thanks.

[mjp]

Re: Great books about footy

From memory Saturday Afternoon Fever also a new one I'm So Australian.

When you directly steal Nick Hornby's idea, you may as well go the whole hog and include the word 'Fever' in the title.

[hujsh]

Re: Great books about footy

Strauchnie's book is a pissa!

[LostDoggy]

Re: Great books about footy

I collect footy books- so far have 33 and other magazines and season records, but haven't read too many yet. I really enjoyed Jason McCartney- After Bali (it's mostly not about football) it's an inspirational story and Shake Down the Thunder was quite good as well.

[Twodogs]

Re: Great books about footy

I have most AFL and a few VFL/A club histories. The standout is 'The North Story' by Gerald Dowling and I also liked Lionwl Frost's The Old Dark Navy Blues. There is also a book called Bloodstained Angels: the Rise and Fall of the Foreign Legion which chronicles South Melbournes successes and failures from 1932-1939. So much happened at the club in that period and the book looks at each event in minute detail.



AFL Inc. is also well worth reading to get a background on the change from VFL to AFL in the '80s and '90s.

[mjp]

Re: Great books about footy

I have most AFL and a few VFL/A club histories. The standout is 'The North Story' by Gerald Dowling and I also liked Lionwl Frost's The Old Dark Navy Blues. There is also a book called Bloodstained Angels: the Rise and Fall of the Foreign Legion which chronicles South Melbournes successes and failures from 1932-1939. So much happened at the club in that period and the book looks at each event in minute detail.



AFL Inc. is also well worth reading to get a background on the change from VFL to AFL in the '80s and '90s.

'The Bloodbath Grandfinal' is another good book that touches on the foreign legion and Souths great era.

[Twodogs]

Re: Great books about footy

'The Bloodbath Grandfinal' is another good book that touches on the foreign legion and Souths great era.

Good read. Blokes playing on in a semi conscious state, players who werent actually playing running on to the field thumping someone and getting reported and all sorts of mayhem.



We've got one as well.

http://nla.gov.au/anbd.bib-an000040414969

It's not as well written as the South one, but it's still worth having..

[mjp]

Re: Great books about footy

Good read. Blokes playing on in a semi conscious state, players who werent actually playing running on to the field thumping someone and getting reported and all sorts of mayhem.



We've got one as well.

http://nla.gov.au/anbd.bib-an000040414969

It's not as well written as the South one, but it's still worth having..

Interesting though. 9 reports from the grand-final, only 3 suspensions if I recall. And one of them was for a player failing to return the ball properly to his opponent who had been awarded a free kick.

Also has a great quote from the South's full forward whose name escapes me. When asked what happened to Carlton player 'x', he replied (to the reporter):

'I knocked him out as cold as a tuna'.

Can you imagine what would happen if a player said that now? Opposition supporters would stone his house. As Nick Hornby said in Fever Pitch, in era's gone by, football reporters and commentators seemed to try to actually incite fans to riot.

[The Coon Dog]

Re: Great books about footy

Didn't Jack 'Basher' Willims cop a 4 match ban from that game for 'adopting a fighting stance?'

[Twodogs]

Re: Great books about footy

Interesting though. 9 reports from the grand-final, only 3 suspensions if I recall. And one of them was for a player failing to return the ball properly to his opponent who had been awarded a free kick..

Dug this summary on report and suspensions fom the game;

During one particularly spiteful brawl in the final term Carlton winger Fred Fitzgibbon became heavily involved - not so unusual you might think except that he had been sitting behind the fence in the club officials' enclosure having been suspended after the preliminary final! At the Tribunal on the Tuesday following the grand final his 3 match suspension was not surprisingly extended to 7, while team mates Chitty and Savage also incurred penalties. A charge against Ken Hands was dismissed.

Of 6 South players reported 4 were given suspensions and 1 received a reprimand. The press had a field day:

fromhttp://www.fullpointsfooty.net/The%20Bloodbath%20Grand%20Final.htm

It appears from this article that 6 south players were reported and 4 Carlton players, if you include Fitzgibbon, with a total of 6 suspended players. Although I reckon that TCD is right and Jack Williams was reported for 'adopting a fighting stance"


FWIW The prelim final between Carlton and Collingwood was supposed to be even more spiteful

B]Also has a great quote from the South's full forward whose name escapes me.[/B]

Laurie Nash?

[mjp]

Re: Great books about footy

Laurie Nash would be the one.